Deceit, Lies, and Butterflies
by Caramel
Summary: How far would you go to save a friend? Where do you draw the line? A story about a web of lies meant to hide the truth, but may uncover it in the end. please r/r!
1. An Atypical Age

1- an atypical age  
  
"Chocolate frog?" Justin asked, passing her another one.  
  
Mara nodded in thanks, her mouth already full. She smiled as she noticed how Justin had a dimple in his left cheek when he grinned at her, like he was now.  
  
"My Dad was furious when he found out Dumbledore told us you-know-who was back," her best friend Hannah exclaimed, bringing Mara out of her contemplation of Justin's cheek bones.  
  
Mara Madley was a fifth year in Hufflepuff. She had long dirty blond hair and brown eyes. She wasn't a stunning girl, but she was for from ugly. Really, she would have been very average looking if it wasn't for her hair. Smooth and falling to her waist, she considered it her best feature. She played with it absentmindedly as Hannah continued.  
  
"He almost didn't let me come back to Hogwarts, didn't think it was safe now that you-know-who is back."  
  
Mara snorted a laugh, "I'm quite sure Hogwarts is a lot safer than downtown London. Besides, you-know-who wouldn't risk an attack with Dumbledore there."  
  
"Although he does seem quite intent on catching the famous Harry Potter." Justin rolled his eyes at the word famous.  
  
Mara was on the Hogwarts Express in the sixth compartment. She sat with her fellow Hufflepuffs Hannah Abbot, Ernie Macmillian, and Justin Finch-Fletchley.  
  
"I wonder if Dumbledore was even telling the truth." Pronounced Ernie, a stout, brown haired boy who played the position of keeper on Hufflepuff's Quiddich team. "I mean, he didn't have any proof except what Potter told him, and we all read that article about him being unstable."  
  
Justin nodded in agreement, but Hannah looked doubtful.  
  
"But Dumbledore wouldn't have said anything unless he was sure, right?" She asked, pulling at one of her blond pigtails.  
  
Mara rolled her eyes, "Your so naïve Han, just because he's headmaster doesn't mean he knows everything."  
  
"Yeah," Justin grumbled, "If he knew everything he would have been able to save Cedric."  
  
An uncomfortable silence filled the compartment at the mention of him name. Although none of them had been that close to Cedric, they all took it hard when he had died.  
  
"Well, I'm going to go see how far we are to Howarts." Ernie said as he stood up.  
  
Hannah got up quietly as Ernie slid out of the compartment. "Got to go to the lav."  
  
Mara was playing with the ends of her hair again when Justin asked, "What did your parents make of you-know-who's return?"  
  
"I didn't tell them," Mara smiled, "I'm muggle born, remember? Even if they knew who you-know-who was they wouldn't think much of it; they don't understand how one man could be that bad."  
  
Justin nodded in understanding, "I know how you feel, my parents don't think I'm getting a 'proper education'. When I came back from my second year I had a devil of a time making up something. Really, what was I supposed to say 'Actually mum I didn't learn much 'cause for a lot the year I was frozen from the gaze of a giant snake you would think was a legend, if you had even ever heard of it"  
  
Mara laughed, "I know, my family doesn't understand why I find the muggle 'magic shows' so boring. A rabbit out of a hat, give me a break!"  
  
Justin grinned at her (such a cute dimple!) "Mara, I was thinking, I really want this year to be great for Hufflepuff."  
  
"You say that every year."  
  
"I know, but this year's different. I think we could really have a chance at the house cup. If only we could tip the scales to our favor a bit…"  
Just then Ernie burst back through the compartment door, "we'll be at Hogwarts in five minutes, better get your stuff together."  
  
"We can talk later." Justin promised as the train skidded to a stop.  
  
***  
  
  
(A/N: I know it seems fluffy right now, but this chapter is more of an intro than anything, just setting up the characters, you know? :D Much more to come, please review and tell me what you thin so far, ideas, suggestions, flames whatever!)  



	2. Unpleasant Plans

Unpleasant plans  
* * *  
  
The Hufflepuffs were trudging up the steps the their common room after the sorting feast.  
  
"Ohh…I feel like I'm going to burst!" complained Mara as she clutched her stomach.  
  
"You shouldn't have eaten so much," observed Hannah. "This happens every year!"  
  
"I know, I know, but it's all so good!"  
  
"Really Mara," commented Justin, "You ate like a pig, I'm surprised you're not growing a snout."  
  
Mara smiled maliciously. "Very funny Justin. Oink, oink."   
  
Ernie grinned, "Please don't start Mara, we don't need another pig around here, what with Eloise Midgeon always after me in the common room."  
  
"Ernie!" Hannah shouted disapprovingly as Mara tried to stifle a giggle.  
  
Hannah glowered at him, "That very rude, and besides, you can hardly tell her nose isn't quite dead center." Hannah gave in and smiled.  
  
"Radlifying" Mara mumbled to the suit of armor guarding their common room entrance. The suit steeped aside and they all climbed into the common room. It was a large rectangular room, warmly lit by a stone fireplace on the far wall, with plush light blue couches scattered here and there. A hallway leading to the left brought you to the boy's dormitories, a hallway to the right led you to the girls. The four of them sat down together near the fire.  
  
"Hey Ernie," Justin asked, "Who do you think is going to be captain now that..." 'Cedric's gone' he thought, his words drifting off.  
  
Ernie apparently hadn't sensed the awkward ending, because he started cheerfully enough, "Oh I'm not sure. Blakeman is a great chaser; he might get it. Or Hershaw, she's great too. We're going to need to find a new chaser and seeker, they'll be hard to replace, I saw Greg on the pitch last year and his arm was looking pretty good…" He continued to droll on like this as Hannah started to drift off.  
  
"Justin," Mara asked, cutting off Ernie in the middle of a very detailed of every conversation he'd had with the team about a new chaser, "Why don't you try out this year?"  
  
Justin laughed, "I'd probably fall off my broomstick. Besides," He grinned mischievously, "I have better ways to help my house."  
  
"Oh!" Mara exclaimed, "I'd forgotten, you were going to tell me something about winning the house cup, what was it?"  
  
"Well," Justin started, "as you all know, Hufflepuff hasn't won the house cup in 43 years, when Penelope the teacher's pet graduated. I say it's due time we get it back!"  
  
Hannah rolled her eyes, "Every year the same 'go Hufflepuff' pep-talk. If this is all you've got I'm going to bed."  
  
"But I have an idea," Justin explained, "If we won the Quiddich cup it would get us a lot of point. But, sorry Ernie, I don't see that happening without some help."  
  
Ernie looked affronted, but Mara was curious, "What do you mean be help?"  
  
"I found a charm, a little complicated, but essentially what it would do is veer a broomstick off course. Therefore, when the other team's seeker goes in for the snitch…"  
  
"…We'll veer him off course and our seeker will get it!" finished Ernie.  
  
Mara grinned, "Excellent!"  
  
"It will take three people to do this, that'd be me, Mara and Hannah. What'd ya say girls?"  
  
"I'm in!" Mara said smiling at Justin.  
  
"You guys..." Hannah hesitated, "What if someone gets hurt, like if we veer him into a tree or something…"  
  
"Come off it Hannah, " Ernie said, " No one will get hurt."  
  
Mara pleaded with her friend. "Please Han, we need you for it to work; it's for Hufflepuff."  
  
"Oh… all right" She agreed slowly.  
  
Justin grinned, showing that cute dimple. "Great! I'll teach you guys the charm tomorrow!"  
  
And they all went excitedly to bed, except Hannah, who kept dreaming about school suspensions.  
  
  
(A/N: There, finished the second chapter! So, what do you all think will happen?- Will their charm work? Will Hannah stop ever stop worrying? Will Mara ever stop talking about Justin's dimple? Find out next time on DECIET, LIES, and BUTTERFLIES! Don't ask me why I named it that; butterflies rhymed, okay?  
Everyone review or FACE MY WRATH! Lol...)  



	3. An Alternative Acquaintance

3-An alternative acquaintance  
  
Mara pulled her cloak tighter around her; "It's really starting to get chilly."  
  
The Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors were walking together to the Herbology. It was a week to the match and they had been practicing the charm like hell. Mara was in a good mood today. The charm worked…well… like a charm when they practiced it last night AND Justin had promised to be her partner today in Herbology. She smiled as she took off her coat when she entered the green house with the others.   
  
"Good morning students!" Professor Sprout beamed as her students took their usual places. "We are going to start our work on Vexyvibble plants today, and I've decided I'm going to pair you up. Make some new friends, all right?"  
  
Mara groaned inwardly. 'So much for an hour with Justin'.  
  
She began to walk around the classroom making pairs. "Longbottom, you go with Macmillan; Patil and Abbot go together. Ms. Brown, you go with Ms. Fawcett…" Finally she reached her, "Ms. Madley, you pair up with Mr. Weasley here."  
  
Mara recognized her partner as Harry Potter's red headed friend. She'd seen him around the school but had never spoken to him before.  
  
"Your Harry Potter's friend, right?" She asked as they began to trim the Vezyvibble plant.  
  
"Yeah"  
  
"Well that must be a handful," she smiled.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Well… I dunno, he always seemed a little cocky to me, I heard he was giving out signed photos once."  
  
Ron rolled his eyes. "He never gave out signed photos."  
  
"Oh." Mara looked down and, at a loss of what else to do, started to play with her hair.  
  
The very awkward pause was finally interrupted by Professor Sprout's exclamation from across the room. "Very good Hermoine, five points for Gryffindor!"  
  
"How did Hermoine get so smart?" Mara wondered out loud, "You'd think she memorized the textbooks or something!"  
  
Ron grinned, "You'd be surprised."  
  
"No way! I'd never have the discipline to do that, I'd much rather watch a good game of Quiddich than sit in some stuffy old library!"  
  
"Amen!" Ron laughed.   
  
'He is kinda cute' Mara thought to herself.  
  
"Have you ever heard of the Chudley Cannons?"  
  
Mara grinned, "Have I!"  
  
They spent the rest of the class discussing the Cannon's best moves and the best Quiddich games they've been to, the Vexyvibble plant laying forgotten between them. They were both a little disappointed when the bell rang for the end of class.  
  
"See you later Mara." Ron smiled as he packed up his things.  
  
"Yeah, see you." Mara watched his retreating figure.  
  
"Mara!" Justin grabbed her hand, "Come one, it's break time. Let's go practice that charm."  
  
Mara smiled and followed Justin back to the castle.  
  
Justin grinned, showing off his cute dimple. "The Hufflepuff-Gryffindor match is only a week away, we are going to win!"  
  
'Don't worry' Mara thought to herself. 'No one will get hurt.'  
  
  
  
(A/N: ooo... the plot thickens.. lol. This chapter's a little shorter than the other ones, but whatever. So watch out next time for: THE QUIDDICH MATCH! dondondon.... :D So everyone, reveiw reveiw reveiw!! I have no problems with Con Crit (CONtructive CRITicism) so go ahead and make suggestions! Thanks!)  



	4. An Adverse Accident

4-An Adverse Accident   
  
"Pass me the waffles, Han."  
  
It was the day of the match and they were all in the great hall eating breakfast. The Gryffindor Quiddich team were laughing and joking across the hall, but the Hufflepuff look as if they were about to go to their execution. The only one on the team that wasn't visibly worried was Ernie.  
  
"Today's the day." Ernie smiled with excitement. "Are you guys ready?"  
  
Mara smiled. "Oh yeah. We've been practicing for weeks! We just wait for the right moment, and yell 'swervaous' in unison. Piece of cake, eh Han?…Han?"  
  
Hannah was silently playing with a bit of egg left on her plate, avoiding any eye contact.  
  
"Oh come on Hannah, you can't back out now!" Justin said. She didn't respond and he looked to Mara for help.  
  
"We need you to do this," Mara explained. "Stop worrying, no one will get hurt. We haven't been practicing for weeks for nothing. We've got it down pat, you know that."  
  
"Besides," Ernie said, "so what if Potter gets roughed up a bit? Since when have you been all for Mr. Famous? Out to join the HP fan club with Creevy are you?"  
  
Justin laughed, "That's harsh man. Hannah out to get one of his signed photos?"  
  
Mara though about her conversations with Ron, but shrugged it off. She didn't know Harry, she didn't need to defend him. They needed Hannah for the charm to work. "Come on Hannah. Hufflepuff deserves a win. Think of Cedric."  
  
Hannah reluctantly smiled. "Can't wait for the victory party tonight."  
  
Justin grinned. "There you go! Now, can someone pass me the waffles?"  
  
* * *  
Mara, Justin and Hannah found their seats just in the stands as the teams walked onto the pitch. They were in the center of the Hufflepuff section, so no one would think it was odd that they were yelling when Harry went for the snitch. Ernie waved to them as he mounted his broom and began circling the goal posts, waiting to block the Quaffle.  
  
"Poor Ernie." Mara shook her head. "He tries, but really, he's a horrible keeper."  
  
"Remember," Justin shouted over the boos (Gryffindor had just scored), "Wait for my signal, it has to be in unison!"  
  
Mara nodded and went back to the game. 20-0 for Gryffindor; 30-0 for Gryffindor; 40-0 for Gryffindor. Mara was beginning to lose interest when she heard Hannah shout "Look!"  
  
Potter was diving down towards the snitch, the new Hufflepuff seeker, Greg Gilmore, following him close.   
  
Mara looked to Justin but he hissed "not yet!"  
  
The entire Gryffindor section was holding it's breath, but the Hufflepuff were all on their feet yelling at Greg to speed up, but had had to chance against the Firebolt. Harry was only 10 feet away when Justin yelled "Now!"  
  
"SWERVAOUS!"   
  
Harry's broom suddenly jerked violently to the left, leaving a clear path for Hufflepuff's seeker…  
  
"HE CAUGHT IT! He caught the snitch!" Everyone in the Hufflepuff section was cheering, Justin was jumping up and down like mad, but…  
  
"Mara, look!" Hannah cried. Thirty feet above the pitch Harry was dangling from his broomstick by one hand.  
  
Hannah was pale as a ghost. "He must…knocked off balance…NO!"  
  
Harry lost his grip and let go. He plunged down, the hard ground beneath him getting closer and closer…  
  
And out of the corner of her eye, Mara could see Justin was smiling.  
  
  
* * *  
  
(A/N: 'no one will get hurt" my ass! But I guess you all've been guessing that for awhile. Sorry this chapter's so short. But ohhh… a cliffie! [Or at least I'm trying to make it a cliffie] What will happen next? Will harry live? Will they be caught? Will Hannah shout 'I told you so!' for the rest of the year? Find out next time on…DECEIT, LIES, AND BUTTERFLIES! Review please!)  



	5. Restless Revelry

5- restless revelry  
  
"Three cheers for Greg!"  
  
The Hufflepuff common room was celebrating like it hadn't for years. Music was playing loudly, and they had cleared the center or the room for a dance floor. Someone had gone and nicked food from the kitchens, and there was enough pastries and butterbeer for everyone to snack on for days. Someone had even smuggled in some mulled mead, although not many people were having any. Any weekend homework had been forgotten. Everyone was in a loud and cheery mood. Everyone, that is but Hannah and Mara. They sat arguing in the corner quite unnoticed by the rest of the Hufflepuffs.  
  
"He could have died Mara, don't you see how serious this is? We could have killed him!"  
  
Mara shook her head, "But he didn't die. Yes, he had to go to the hospital wing, but Madame Pomfrey said he'd be fine."  
  
Justin and Ernie came bursting out of the throng of partiers, carrying bottles of Butterbeer.  
  
"Why don't you guys join the party?" He asked while handing Mara a Butterbeer. "We should be celebrating more than anyone else! It worked!"  
  
"Worked? Ha! You said no one would get hurt!" said Hannah acidly.  
  
"Hannah, he's hardly hurt," said Ernie. "Remember early during our second year? He must have fallen what, fifty feet? And he was fine. He'll be fine now too, I'm sure of it."  
  
"See? No harm done." Justin smiled, "Now we know not to hit the next seeker so hard with the charm."  
  
"What?" Hannah exclaimed, "Your not seriously thinking of trying it again are you?"  
  
Justin looked a little confused. "Of course, we still have a house cup to win after all."  
  
Hannah shook her head in disbelief. "Well I'll have no part of it. If I had half a mind I'd go straight to Dumbledore and tell him what we did!"  
  
Justin's eyes narrowed. "You don't mean that."  
  
Ernie stepped between them. "Forget about it Hannah, you don't have to be part of this anymore. Just forget you ever were. Just go."  
  
Hannah shook her head uncertainly. "…Fine. But…" she looked to her best friend. "Mara, your not still going to go along with this are you?"  
  
"Well...I…"  
  
"Mara will do what she wants." Justin stepped in front of her. "If you don't want to celebrate, go to bed."  
  
Hannah looked at her uncertainly, then went off down the hallway towards her bedroom.  
  
"Come on," Justin said while grabbing her hand. "Let's get back to the party."  
  
Mara hesitated, but gave in when he gave her that famous grin.  
  
'No harm done' she thought as she grabbed a pastry and made her way to the dance floor.  
  
* * *  
  
"Congratulation on your house winning the Quiddich game."  
  
It was Herbology Monday morning, and as usual, Ron and Mara's conversation had turned to the topic of Quiddich.  
  
"Oh thanks." Mara blushed. "Is Harry doing all right? Quite a nasty fall he took there."  
  
Yeah…" Ron looked as if he was thinking hard. "It's strange…"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Nothing. It's just, he can't seem to think how he did it."  
  
"What? Fell off?"  
  
"Yes. He told me he was diving down to get the snitch and then, his broom just swerved out of no where. I've been thinking about it all morning, and I just can't figure it out."  
  
Mara looked at her hair, her desk, anywhere but Ron. "Maybe…maybe it was the wind or something…It was pretty breezy that day."  
  
Ron raised his eyebrows. "Breezy enough to toss him off course in the middle of a dive? To tell you the truth I… promise not to tell anyone?"  
  
She swallowed nervously. "Promise."  
  
He leaned in closer and lowered his voice. "I think, we think someone jinxed him."   
  
"But... who would do that?" The bell rang for their lunch break and the other students started leaving.  
  
"Someone who wanted to hurt him I guess…or worse. And you know what? Dumbledore agrees with us."  
  
"Dumbledore?"  
  
"Yeah. He told us to keep our eyes open. You should too, if you hear anything you'll tell me right?"  
  
"Oh…yeah." Mara flashed him a quick smile. "Well, I gotta go. See you."  
  
On her way out of the greenhouse she bumped into Hannah.  
  
"Hey Mara, I was wondering if we could…Mara, where are you going?"  
  
"Sorry Hannah." She muttered as she ran back to school. "I gotta find Justin."  
  
* * *  
  
  
((A/N Finished the 5th chapter! (yay). See? I didn't kill harry! (and you were worried.. tuttut) Thanks to everyone that's been reviewing! A lot of people have mentioned that hufflepuffs are SUPOSSED to be nice and thoughtfull ect. but remember, some people need to grow into their into their houses [come one, when neville first went to gryffindor you wouldn't exactly call him brave now would you. Then again...he's not much better now...] And all those Justin lovers, sorry, but he's not perfect in my story!:D And he MAY still have his chance. Maybe.   
  
Soo... what do you readers want? A nice, I-Now-Know-Better Justin OR a Justin that will go for what he wants.. no matter what the price. Respond in your review! thanks!))  



	6. Increasingly Injurious Intrigue

6- Increasingly injurious intrigue  
  
"But he KNOWS Justin, they know!"  
  
Mara had caught up with Justin in the entrance hall and had dragged him outside to talk. They now sat behind some trees at the edge of the lake. They were hid from view so that anyone passing by wouldn't be tempted to go see what they were talking about.  
  
"Listen Mara, they don't know anything. All they have is some disbeliefs because Potter doesn't want to admit he made a mistake while flying."  
  
"But he didn't make a mistake, it was us. Ron told me that Dumbledore believed them. If they find out it was us…"  
  
"So what? Dumbledore's a kook, I've always told you that."  
  
"Whether you think he's a kook or not, he's still our headmaster. And that means we have the potential for getting into a lot of trouble. Why aren't you taking this seriously?"  
  
"I'll start taking this seriously when we're actually in trouble. Don't worry, we don't need to worry right now! It's not like someone knows."  
  
"But what if Dumbledore tries to find out who it was? What if someone was watching us during the game, or what if Hannah decides to tell him?"  
  
"Fine. Say Dumbledore does go searching for who it was. Say they catch us. What do you want me to do about it?"  
  
"Well…" Mara chewed on her lip nervously, "We should have some kind of plan, right? A back up story or something. Ugh, I'm beginning to think we should just go to Dumbledore and admit everything."  
  
"Don't talk like that. You beginning to sound like Hannah. Besides, we're not even in trouble yet."  
  
"All right, we'll agree on this. First thing is we stop other people from knowing that we made Harry fall, so no telling."  
  
Justin sighed. "Mara, can we talk about this later? It's kinda a lot to intake all at once. And besides, I think we should fill Ernie in."  
  
They were just standing up when they heard the sound of twigs snapping from the other side of the tree.  
  
Mara's head snapped up. "Did you hear that?"  
  
They ran around the tree only to find Colin Creevy gaping at them in astonishment,  
  
"You made him fall?"  
  
Hannah shook her head, "Colin we… were you spying on us?"  
  
Colin looked at her angrily. "I overheard voices, I… he could have been killed, you know that? For a stupid Quiddich game..."  
  
Justin stepped towards him. "Yes, it was stupid. We're sorry, so let's just forget it ever happened."  
  
Colin shook his head. "Are you kidding? I'm going straight to Dumbledore. Oh, you guys are gonna get it."  
  
Mara grabbed his sleeve, "Colin... please…"  
  
"Your, your not going anywhere!" Justin had his wand out and was pointing it straight at Colin.  
  
Mara's eyes widened, "Justin, what are you..."  
  
Colin pulled away from her, "Give it up Justin, you're caught."  
  
"Creevy, don't make me…"  
  
"Justin please don't…" Mara was starting to panic.  
  
"Sod off Justin." Colin turned to leave, Mara turned to Justin, "We can't let him go…"  
  
"OBLIVIATE!"  
  
Light shot out of Justin's want and hit Colin squarely in the back of his head; he fell to the ground.  
  
Mara turned to Justin, wide eyed. "What did you?…"  
  
"Come on Mara." Justin grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the castle. "We need to get out of here. Come on!"  
  
Mara allowed herself to be pulled from the trees and ran to the castle, leaving Colin's unconscious body behind the trees.  
  
* * *  
  
"What did you do to him Justin?" Mara glared at him. Finding the common room occupied, they walked off to an abandoned hallway to talk.  
  
"Just a simple memory charm. He won't remember us…or much else for that matter. It didn't hurt him."  
  
"Excuse me? He was unconscious when we left him!"  
  
"He must of hit his head on a rock or something…"  
  
"He could have a concussion!"  
  
"Mara, I'm sure he's going to be fine. He'll just wake up and..."  
  
"He won't know where he is Justin, or who he is. You wiped his memory clean, that's illegal!"  
  
"You didn't seem to care so much what was legal or not when you helped knock Potter off his broomstick."  
  
"That, was an accident." Mara hissed, "It wasn't supposed to happen."  
  
Justin smiled, "Wasn't it?"  
  
Mara paused. "Justin, I..."  
  
"Never mind," He shook his head. "Look, no one saw us. They'll send Creevy up to the hospital with Potter, and everything will be fine."  
  
"No, it will not be fine! Either he'll get his memory back and turn us in for him and Harry, or he'll never get his memory back and it will be our fault! How could you do that?!"  
  
"Well what was I supposed to do?" Justin shouted. "He was leaving, and you were freaking out. You were shouting at me to do something, and I did! I did it for you, Mara. So you can stay here and yell at the walls, I'm late for charms."  
  
Justin stormed down the hall, leaving Mara doubting everything.  
  
* * *  
  
((A/N: So sorry it took me so long to post this! I've had dance practice after school till 6:00 everyday… no time… sorry! ME ways, Thanks SO much for everyone who reviewed so far! Your are the ones that keep this story going! So, it's time for you to decide who is going to end up with Mara! Vote for whoever you want, but I warn you, I'm not going to stick her with someone if it won't make sense is the story, or if it's just gross (Mara/Lucius, Mara/Dumbledore). So everyone review with their choice, and I'll try to finish the next chapter faster than I did this one! :D Thanks!))  



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